From deception comes invention

[Dr.Steel]

An eyebrow arches up over Phineas Steel's welding goggles as Nurse Hatchett's nails dig into his tricep.
He is unflapped.
Surprised more by the destination than the subterfuge;

a) He is a Gaian. His natural instinct is to come at his adversaries crabbed, sideways. No surprises for the surprising.
b) Any real scientist would have data-dumped terabytes of reference work, proudly overwhelming any perspective partners with a dearth of accomplisments, papers, and recognitions. This "professor" had sent none of this. Not a byte.
3) His recent research has so steadily surprised and shocked him - daily and hourly - he was in good practice for the punchline.

He'd said as much to Nurse Kynde before answering the initial communique, days ago.
"Great science comes with great risk, darling. To study the crocodile, you must lie very near to one of them for a long while. And be very still and quiet."

And so he stands quietly still, helping to ease the fear of his assistants with a barely audible whisper and a few gratuitous pats on the fannies.
As they fall in with the wheeled stranger, Dr. Steel pantomimes a wink at Nurse Hatchett, and twists around mid-stride, speaking to the cloaked figure behind them.

"We are clearly not dolts, my good man." he drawls.
"I don't expect you to fully understand higher thinking, but I can assure you that all parties present are more curious than frightened."
As he turns forward, he casts back over his shoulder, "You can relax your watch. Surely present company is not unhinged enough to do anything foolish."
With a wry smirk, he finishes, under his breath; "At least at this juncture."

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Building a Utopian Playground - One Smile at a Time